A consumer's choice of products has been limited to what was on the shelf in a store, or limited choices in a vending machine. As such, often a consumer must settle for a second or third choice rather then being able to enjoy the product they desire most. This can result in consumers being less than satisfied and disappointed that they cannot get the product they want.
As the number and different kinds of products being marketed rapidly increases, as example the number of different kinds of beverages, consumer preferences for variety and easy accessibility also continue to grow. This growth in variety and accessibility results in more and more frustrated consumers as it becomes harder and more difficult to stock every type and kind of product. Regarding beverages, for example, a store or vending machine may not stock every line extension and derivative of a particular beverage brand. For example, a cola beverage brand may have line extensions and derivatives that include a corresponding vanilla cola beverage, a cherry cola beverage, a lime cola beverage, a diet cola beverage, and a zero-calorie, sweetened cola beverage. Often due to shelf space limitations and vending machine capacities, a consumer may have to go without their favorite drink and instead have to settle for something else or not make a purchase at all.
From a manufacturing perspective, trying to manufacture the increasing number of products, line extensions, and derivative product has its own challenges. Changing over a production line to produce one product run at a time is time consuming. The manufacturer may focus on the highest volume products to reduce the number of times a production line needs to be reconfigured for a different product. The consequence to the consumer is that they have fewer choices in the stores and at vending machines as the manufacturer may not produce the smaller volume products in sufficient quantities.
The inability of the consumer to be connected to the manufacturer, coupled with the inability of the manufacturer to produce and deliver to the consumer what the consumer really wants can results in lost sales and consumer dissatisfaction.
While consumers (the people that consume the products) want more choices, customers (the people that sell the products) also want to be able to differentiate their stores and offer customized products. In this regard, a customer who owns a fitness store knows what their consumers want in the way of product but have limited if any capacity to manufacture such products. For example, an owner of a fitness center knows that a customized sports beverage is something that his consumers would like and buy, but the owner has no ability to formulate such a beverage.
With respect to schools, parties, events, activities, fundraisers, organizations and other groups and activities, these customers and consumers could all benefit from the ability to differentiate themselves in the from of customized products. Such differentiation might be custom product formulations, product colors, and custom packaging to name a few. Such differentiation could enable these consumers and customers to effectuate new business models, use or sell new trendy products, and collaborate in business opportunities in new ways. However, currently the inability of these consumers and customers to control the mass customization of products and be able to influence remote manufacturing processes prevents these new business model opportunities from occurring. For these and other reasons, there is a need for methods of creating customized beverage products.